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In my childhood we couldn't afford to go to holiday resorts. During our vacations my brother, sister and I went to work. Usually my maternal relatives went on excursions, to camps and resorts. When I was a student, my grandmother, who loved me a lot, gave me two levs every day. I remember that once she went on holiday to Chepino for two days. When she returned, I asked her to give me six levs - for the days when she had been away - and although she didn't have much money, she gave it to me. My father also gave me money, but only one lev. He didn't make much money, but he did his best to provide a good living for us. My brother, who was younger than me, was a bit more intemperate and sometimes my father had to borrow one lev from the shop assistant in the hardware store to give it to my brother. I was more diplomatic and didn't pester my father to give me money, if he didn't have any at that moment.
When I was 13 years old, my family organized for me the greatest Jewish holiday, my bar mitzvah, marking the occasion when a boy reaches the age of religious majority and responsibility. This was a very big celebration with many guests present. I had to learn by heart and deliver in front of the guests a speech, which was written by Rabbi Shemuel Behar, who later also led my wedding ceremony. I still remember the first lines of that speech, which I delivered in Ladino: 'Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, brothers and sisters! Today is the day of my holiday, which is also a holiday for the whole family.' Every day before the ceremony I rehearsed my speech a number of times at home. My grandmother would listen to me every time and get very excited and I would joke that I wanted my presents in advance. Moved to tears, she would promise to buy me the best presents. The ceremony took place in the synagogue. The rabbi was there and I made my speech, which was quite long - about eight pages. My grandmother Reyna bought me a suit and Uncle Albert a watch. During the ceremony we ate almond jam, also called marzipan.
Before 9th September 1944 [3] there was a big Jewish community in Plovdiv that had its own traditions. After the establishment of the Jewish state most Jews left for Israel and very few of us remained in Bulgaria. The small number of Jews who stayed here and their dispersion throughout the country led to their assimilation. That's why we aren't as religious as our parents, who strictly observed all the traditions. My father was a religious man: he observed Sabbath, ate kosher food and went to the synagogue. My mother organized the festivities for all religious holidays. She did all the household chores and prepared the kosher food for Pesach. The kosher dishes were arranged on a white tablecloth, and my father read the Haggadah. We also observed the other Jewish holidays - Purim, Lag ba- Omer, Sukkot.
When I was 13 years old, my family organized for me the greatest Jewish holiday, my bar mitzvah, marking the occasion when a boy reaches the age of religious majority and responsibility. This was a very big celebration with many guests present. I had to learn by heart and deliver in front of the guests a speech, which was written by Rabbi Shemuel Behar, who later also led my wedding ceremony. I still remember the first lines of that speech, which I delivered in Ladino: 'Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, brothers and sisters! Today is the day of my holiday, which is also a holiday for the whole family.' Every day before the ceremony I rehearsed my speech a number of times at home. My grandmother would listen to me every time and get very excited and I would joke that I wanted my presents in advance. Moved to tears, she would promise to buy me the best presents. The ceremony took place in the synagogue. The rabbi was there and I made my speech, which was quite long - about eight pages. My grandmother Reyna bought me a suit and Uncle Albert a watch. During the ceremony we ate almond jam, also called marzipan.
Before 9th September 1944 [3] there was a big Jewish community in Plovdiv that had its own traditions. After the establishment of the Jewish state most Jews left for Israel and very few of us remained in Bulgaria. The small number of Jews who stayed here and their dispersion throughout the country led to their assimilation. That's why we aren't as religious as our parents, who strictly observed all the traditions. My father was a religious man: he observed Sabbath, ate kosher food and went to the synagogue. My mother organized the festivities for all religious holidays. She did all the household chores and prepared the kosher food for Pesach. The kosher dishes were arranged on a white tablecloth, and my father read the Haggadah. We also observed the other Jewish holidays - Purim, Lag ba- Omer, Sukkot.
Location
Bulgaria
Interview
haim molhov
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